Journeys End
by VampireHakume
Summary: Final Fantasy X. A summoners journey through Spira, to gain and lose friends - and to find the truth at the end. Before X - after Yocuns calm, before Yuna's birth.


Decision

As a child I'd always believed in Yevon. The religion was a part of my life, my reason for being. My parents, as priests, had always heavily endorsed such behaviour, but I supposed that the rest of Spira relied on their religion just as I do. But not until Lord Yocun's calm did I see the joy it brought to the faces of the people I loved.

************

At the doors to the temple of Macalania I sat, carefully drawing pictures in the thin snow that surrounded me. I lifted my finger from the icy cold snow and hugged it to my belly, trying to find some warmth. It was a helpless task, as I sat in naught but a singlet and shorts. But I'd lived here all my life, the cold was a natural feeling to me, and it was rare for me to dress in the myriad of winter costumes my parents insisted on buying for me.

"Utahime Runo! What do you think you are doing young lady?"

I groaned as the shrill voice of my mother floated across the silence to my ears. I shot her a pleading glance from my comfortable spot on the ground, but she only glowered at me from the doorway.

Tutting loudly, she turned to leave and called, "Robes missy, it's almost time for your prayers."

With another groan, I heaved myself to my feet and jogged lightly along the ice. I stopped at the doorway, turning to the priest standing by the door and prayed to him. He returned my prayer and I continued my journey to the center of my wardrobe. How exciting!

I sprinted to my bedroom, and thought of how lucky I was. I was one of the only children in the temple to have a room to themselves. _Lucky mama and pop are higher priests_ I thought to myself. I shut the door behind me and turned to face my room. My eyes immediately fell onto a long robe laying neatly on my bed. I wrinkled my nose at the formal attire, but threw it over the top of my casual clothes none the less.

Just as I had fixed my robe, I heard a small knock on the door, followed by a small voice.

"Hime? Hime are you ready?"

I grinned and opened the door to allow the small Guado-Human to enter my room. The blue hair boy bounded in, and took my hand immediately. His bring blue eyes caught my gaze, and I smiled down him.

"Seymore, I'm coming. Give me a moment!"

"Hime, you have to hurry! Prayers start soon!"

I allowed him to drag me out into the central area, and lightly pulled my hand away when I met the eyes of my two very best friends. The two girls, two years older than I, would rather be out in the snow. I smiled at the taller girl, Teishi Shugo. She was dressed in the same generic prayer clothing I was, only she had been forced to wear the wild headdress. I turned my gaze to the small, and fragile looking girl next to her, Ayra Chiyo. Ayra's prayer clothing differed from the rest of us. She'd sworn on Yevon's name she'd never wear the 'horrid thing', and chose to wore patterned pants and a cloak covering whatever shirt she chose to wear underneath. _The little rebel_ I thought to myself.

I gave Seymore a push in the direction of the other children his age, and he toddled off to join the 5 year olds, his gravity-defying blue hair bouncing with his step. I was now free to wander towards my friends, and we greeted each other with the prayer we where about to repeat for the next hour.

"Teishi! Ayra!" I grinned and jumped up from my prayer, swinging my arms around my two friends. They grinned in return and we all turned to face the high priest standing at the entrance to the Cloister of Trials. As one large group, every member of the temple prayed to the priest, and nodding his head in recognition, he began the weekly prayers.

"Thanks be to Yevon for this glorious day. For today has been blessed, and sin is no where to be seen. Thanks be to Yevon."

"Thanks be to Yevon" we chorused.

************

The tortures of prayer had finally ended, and – changing as quick as we could – Ayra, Teishi and I had wandered outside to a large icy area. It was here I chatted away brightly as Ayra and Teishi trained themselved in the art of combat.

Ayra drew her katana swiftly and closed her deep brown eyes, concentrating on the sword in her hands. Once or twice now I'd seen the glowing markings hidden within the sword as Ayra had forced all her might into it. I watched with awe as the wind around began to spin. The long grey cardigan she was wearing lifted from her skin and her short, spiky hair quivered in the breeze.

The wind suddenly halted, and glowing blue kanji appeared on the length of the sword. Ayra fell to the ground panting, dropping the katana to her feet.

"That's three times now!" I applauded happily, then turned my attention to Teishi. Teishi's white eyes concentrated hard on the ice pillar in front of her. She raised a hand from under the black, knee length cloak she wore over her traditional red dress. With one flex of her hand, the ice pillar began to melt on one side. Teishi's training to be a black mage started when she was attacked by an ice flan when she was little. The blizzard had caused her to be party blind, and – seeking revenge – Teishi began a study of black magic as it was the only defence a 'revenge-seeking-partly-blind' person could have.

Teishi grinned as she felt the heat waves roll off the melting ice block. I applauded her with great enthusiasm and rose to my feet to hug her and Ayra.

"I am so proud of the both of you!" I grinned with pride, as if I were there mother. In reality, they where both 19 – two years older than me. But sometimes I felt more mature than they acted. Just as the three of us separated from our embrace, I felt a surprising tug at my shorts. I spun around to see young Seymore staring up at us with wide blue eyes.

"Wow, your magic is so cool!" He gushed at Tesisha. It appeared he'd been a little too late to see Ayra's stunning performance. As the 5 year old Guado continued to compliment a blushing Teisha, I turned my attention to Ayra.

"You really made a lot of progress today!" I complimented.

She laughed and turned her attention to the shining silver katana laying neatly in the snow.

"I just want to be able to protect my family – mother and father, and my little sister too," she thought out loud, "What if sin where to come along right this second…"

Ayra trailed off, and a vacant expression took over. As I began to laugh, a shrill noise from behind me cut me off, and I turned violently too see what the commotion was.

There in front of Seymore and Teisha was an Ice Flan. Seymore yelled and began to run toward Ayra and myself. Ayra took up her katana, a fierce expression replacing the vacant one. Seymore ran into my arms and I knelt down to his level, holding him close to me and watching intently as Ayra and Teisha took up their stances.

The battle with the fiend had begun, and Ayra charged forward with her katana. As she swung it across her body, her grey cardigan swung with her, adding to the visual intensity of the blow. The Flan let out a cry, and turned it's attention to Teisha, who had her white eyes fixed on the icy fiend. With one hand raised in it's direction, Teisha let out a soft, and frightening laugh.

"My own sweet revenge," She murmured, and with that released a flaming attack onto the Flan. The fire almost seemed to explode on the fiend, and as the flames drowned out the dying cries, the Flan melted away into the snow – releasing pireflies into the world. I watched in awe as they soared gracefully towards the temple, slowly fading into nothing.

I suddenly remembered to breathe, and took in one large, gasping breathe. Seymore whimpered under my hold and I slowly released him. His curious and scared eyes scanned the area for any signs of the defeated fiend, and brightened when he saw a triumphant Ayra and Teishi standing where the fiend had been. The two girls high fived one another and ran towards us, bombarding us with health related questions.

"Of course I'm fine, are both of you okay?" I asked worriedly. Ayra scowled and held up her sword arm. It seemed the Flan had taken one blow during Ayra's assault. I laughed at Ayra's scowl, and closed my eyes – concentrating on the wound. White light flowed from my hands, and the simple cut was healed.

"There, much better!" I grinned. Ayra thanked me with a nod and the four of us, Seymore insisting I hold his hand, headed back to the temple area to brag of Ayra and Teisha's battle.

************

Later that night I lay in my bedroom staring blankly at the ceiling. _My two best friends could have been seriously injured today, and there's no way my White Magic can heal something more than a mere cut or bruise_ I thought to myself. I let out a sigh, thinking of Ayra wanting to protect her family, and Teisha training for her own personal revenge. And what did I have?

I had to do something. I couldn't watch them die.

My thought wandered to the face of Seymore, full of fear and terror as the fiend advanced. How many more children out there where faced with this terror.

How many more children wore the face of terror before Sin had attacked their cities and homes.

I clenched my fist and nodded in agreement to myself. I had to do _something_. Not just for my friends, my family, but for the others out there who needed to feel safe again.

This calm would not last forever.

************

"Ayra, Teisha, I have important news." I said, my voice almost monotone. This seemed to worry both my friends, as they turned their unwavering attention to me.

"I have decided I want to fight too. And I want you there by my side the whole way!" I started. Teisha did not give me a chance to finish. Her emotions got the better of her and she began to ramble loudly.

Through the sobs I was able to make out:

"UTAHIME…fighting…hurt or worse?...WHY THOUGH…sudden." She continued to ramble until I shouted above her, answering one of the many questions.

"To protect this family, and every other family. No one should have to feel fear."

This seemed to make sense to Ayra, as she nodded grimly, and we both turned our attention to the unaware Teisha. It appeared she did not understand.

"Other families? What aren't you telling us? Are you _pregnant?!_"

"No! No, Teisha. See the thing is…"

I paused, worried of the reaction I was about to receive.

"I wish to become a Summoner. And I also wish for you and Ayra to become my Guardians. Will you accompany me to Zanarkand?"

It appeared she understood, as a new round of tears and screams began. After millions of wails and complaints she took me in her arms and hugged me so tight I was barely able to breathe.

With only a whisper, she said, "But you'll _die_."

"I know"

That was all we said for a long time. Ayra joined in our embrace and the three of us stood there, enjoying the moments we had together. The silence was broke when Teisha the deciding question.

"Are you sure Utahime…Hime my friend, you don't have to die for everyone else's happiness."

"I am sure Teisha. I've never been more sure of anything. For all of Spira to feel safe because of my calm, I would die."

My decision had been made.


End file.
